J/30 and young driver take honours at weekend race

Link to Raritan Yacht Club article...

We had a blast this weekend. Our club runs a Father's Day race. Non spin, so we entered as a family with William (11), Sophie (10). Teri (age withheld) and myself. Competition included 2 mast-head J/29s, a Beneteau 10R, a J105 and an S2 9.2.

William took the helm while Teri and I hoisted the sails and didn't give it up until after the finish.

With a beat of just over 4nm to the first mark and winds building from 8 to 12 kts, we were delighted to be have only one boat (a J/29) ahead of us. We were ahead for most of it, and only gave up the lead in the last couple of hundred yards to round second. The other J/29 was pretty close behind.

All of us wing on wing, the lead J/29 pulled away somewhat on the major downwind leg, and the other one caught up with us, but William was psyched when we called for (and were given) room at the penultimate mark. Over-powered somewhat on the last beat home in 15kts wind and only 2.5 of us on the rail, the second 29 did pass us. No sign of the others. We knew that we easily had the closest one on corrected time, but only learned at the bar afterwards that both 29s were toast! What a Father's Day!

Hopefully William's available for next years NAs!

Thanks for sharing this story which is now posted on the front page of http://j30.org

THANK YOU!
Dave

I should report that the club report contains an inaccuracy. When asked if William should helm the boat from now on, my reply was "No way. So long as I do all the preparation and pay for everything, I steer the bloody thing!" Somehow that was editorialized to "No comment".

Michael - If William sets up a lemonade stand this summer, you should be leery on retaining your position as helmsman. He could start paying the bills.....

Bill - I like your thinking. Once he breaks even on his Opti, I'll start to tax his earnings!

William ... Taylor and I knew driving to win would be no sweat for you to do.

[William was driver for the first J30 youth Spin peel in Naples last winter.]

Taylor coordinated another spin peel here in Newport last weekend and we were talking about last Xmas's Break peels just a couple of days ago.

We look forward to seeing you again at winter training camp.